14 replies to this topic

[Rob Mitchell]

I got a 5200 BallBlazer cart in the mail recently .. but the word "Ballblazer" and "LucasFilm" is not found on the label at all. Only
c1986 Atari and the futuristic gameplay picture.

When firing up the cart, it says c 1984 Atari initially .. then "LucasFilm" logo .. then "BallBlazer" startup screen.

Why the copywrite discrepancy? Why no title on the label? Why doesn't it say "BallBlazer" on the initial Atari screen?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[Tempest]

I have prototypes for both Ballblazer and Rescue on Fractalus that show the name of the start-up screen. I have no idea why they took it off, but since these are very late protos (with very few differences) it must have been a last minute decision. In fact the only thing different about my RoF proto is the addition of the name on the start-up screen. Odd...

Tempest

[CPUWIZ]

Rob Mitchell said:

I got a 5200 BallBlazer cart in the mail recently .. but the word "Ballblazer" and "LucasFilm" is not found on the label at all.  Only  
c1986 Atari and the futuristic gameplay picture.

When firing up the cart, it says c 1984 Atari initially .. then "LucasFilm" logo .. then "BallBlazer" startup screen.

Why the copywrite discrepancy?  Why no title on the label?  Why doesn't it say "BallBlazer" on the initial Atari screen?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

Both LucasFilm releases didn't have names on the label, I suppose they just wanted to be different.

[Rob Mitchell]

CPUWIZ said:

Both LucasFilm releases didn't have names on the label, I suppose they just wanted to be different.

But this is not the case with regard to the 8-bit carts .. Why?

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[CPUWIZ]

Beats me, I don't know anything about 8 bit carts.

[Curt Vendel]

Actually the 8bit proto's on diskette said "Behind Jaggi Lines..."



Curt

[sku_u]

I always thought the no title thing was because these games were actually released in 1986. No name labels also exist for Space Invaders and Vanguard.

[Tempest]

Quote

Actually the 8bit proto's on diskette said "Behind Jaggi Lines..."

Yes that's correct. The WIP names for Rescue on Fractalus and Ballbalzer were Behind Jaggi Lines and Ballblaster. RoF was also known as Rescue Mission at one point. Lucas Arts kept these names quite late into the development process and when completed prototypes were bootlegged they still had the WIP names (which is why alot of the disk versions have them).

Quote

No name labels also exist for Space Invaders and Vanguard.

Do you have proof of a no name Space Invaders? I've only seen Vanguard.

Tempest

[sku_u]

Tempest said:

Do you have proof of a no name Space Invaders?  I've only seen Vanguard.

Tempest

I had a no name Space Invaders that I traded away to someone over at DP. The label looked exactly like the Space Invaders label with the name on it, except there was no writing on the blue band. I wasn't sure if it was a label variation or a printing error, though because it looked nothing like the Vanguard no name label and I wasn't sure why they bothered to leave the blue band on the cart and not write Space Invaders on it in white letters.

[Curt Vendel]

I have a 5200 Vanguard that is a 1986 re-release that just has the graphic on the label, but has no title.


Curt

[CPUWIZ]

Here is some history about those games ...

http://www.lucasarts...h/history_1.htm

[Rob Mitchell]

Hmm ... I've never heard of these for the 8-bit:

Koronis Rift™ ... The Eidolon™ I'll have to look these up ..

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[CPUWIZ]

They were both released on the C64, that's for sure.

[MegaManFan]

LucasArts said:

Rescue on Fractalus! (March 1984, Atari 5200, Atari 800, later: Commodore 64, Apple II, PC, Amstrad, Sinclair Spectrum, Atari 7800)

On 7800? :!: What do they know that I don't?!

[video game addict]

MegaManFan said:

LucasArts said:

Rescue on Fractalus! (March 1984, Atari 5200, Atari 800, later: Commodore 64, Apple II, PC, Amstrad, Sinclair Spectrum, Atari 7800)

On 7800? :!: What do they know that I don't?!

Should have said MUCH later.

Hey who's to say it won't come out as a homebrew/port in the future?